NAMPA, Idaho – NNU head softball coach John Carpenter has announced the coaching staff for the 2027 season, adding Cal Fazzio, Jamie Malcolm, Dave Kemper and Joely Crider to the Nighthawk program.
Fazzio will serve as assistant coach for hitting, Malcolm as assistant coach for pitching, Kemper as volunteer assistant and first base coach, and Crider as a graduate assistant.
"I am excited about the staff that we have assembled to lead our 2027 program into this new era of NNU Softball," Carpenter said. "Every one of these coaches has tremendous knowledge of the game and a huge heart for our culture and the student-athletes at NNU."
Fazzio will work primarily with the Nighthawk offense, bringing more than 13 years of hitting experience as both a player and coach. A former all-conference and professional player, Fazzio will oversee NNU's offensive development and approach at the plate.
Malcolm will work with the NNU pitching staff after a four-year collegiate career at NCAA Division I Sacred Heart University in Connecticut. She most recently coached at Owyhee High School, where she helped lead one of the top pitching staffs in the Pacific Northwest. Malcolm was also part of an Owyhee staff that earned NFCA Region III Coaching Staff of the Year honors.
Kemper brings years of softball experience to the Nighthawks and will focus primarily on the defensive side of the game. A technical trainer with an emphasis on defensive development, Kemper will also coach first base and assist with program logistics.
Crider joins the staff as NNU's graduate assistant after a four-year playing career at Central Methodist University. During her collegiate career, Crider was a four-time all-conference selection, earned all-region honors and set the program's career record for hit by pitches. With the Nighthawks, she will assist with team building and culture while serving as a mentor to NNU's student-athletes.
The Nighthawks are coming off a 2026 campaign that saw they go 34-19 overall and 15-9 in GNAC play. NNU has been one of the top teams in the conference in recent years, qualifying for the GNAC Tournament seven out of the last nine years (no tournament held in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic) and has won the GNAC regular season championship five times since 2018 and the GNAC tournament three times including back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023.
They will open their 2027 conference slate with a double header on March 12th and 13th against Western Washington in Bellingham, Washington before hosting Central Washington the following week on March 19th and 20th for their GNAC home opener.
